Consumer products for skin care are contained in an appropriate primary packaging, such as a bottle, a plastic container, or a tube. This primary packaging in turn is usually packed into a secondary packaging, the function of which is to protect the product inside and to provide a means of presenting the product to the public. The most frequently used secondary packaging is a cardboard box in which the primary packed product is placed.
The presentation of the product to the consumer is important in that it allows conveying certain information about the product and helps the consumer to make her or his choice to purchase the product. Stand-alone packages offer particular advantages in this regard in that they can easily be placed on the shelf, counter or other spots where the product is presented to the public.
Various types of secondary packagings have been disclosed in the prior art. For example, DE 91 08 595 U discloses a packaging that has a back wall and a front wall, which are linked at a top side, a bottom wall and a platform surface, which is linked to the back wall and the front wall, the back wall, at its bottom side, has a tab that fits into an opening at a fold between the bottom side of an interior front wall and the bottom wall, the platform surface is connected to the bottom wall by the interior front wall which becomes visible when opening the back wall, the platform surface has a flap linking the platform surface to the front wall by gluing, the platform surface is parallel to the bottom wall and has an opening in which the tube fits.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,367,174 describes a confection-cone carrier consisting of a rectangular cardboard or paper blank. A plurality of perforations each of which having a diameter corresponding to that of a cone are provided adjacent the right-hand end of the blank. Adjacent the perforations the blank is slit to provide a pair of first tabs, which extend in the direction of the perforations. The blank is slit intermediate its ends to provide another pair of second tabs which extend in the direction opposite to said first tabs. Adjacent said second tabs the blank is formed with a pair of oval openings which are designed for the reception of a person's finger so that the portion of the blank between two openings provides a handle for carrying the carrier as a unit. The blank is bent to provide a bottom, a front wall, a supporting partition, a lip, a rear wall and a cover. The lip extends downwardly and engages the second tabs whereby the supporting partition is supported in horizontal position and in spaced parallel relation with the bottom to support the cones within said perforations. The cover is extended over the partition with its free end secured against and in overlapping relation to the front wall by means of third tabs and said first tabs. The third tabs are inserted into the openings provided by the first tabs such that the upward displacement of the cover from the front wall is prevented.
WO 02 20367 A discloses a carton for holding one or more articles like flexible pouches and comprises an article retaining structure for preventing the dislodging of the packaged articles through the open ends of the carton. A retaining panel extends between the carton side walls intermediate the top and bottom walls of the carton to form a tubular structure in cooperation with the top wall. The retaining panel is formed with at least one article receiving aperture. Tubular structure is provided with a brace for retaining the tubular structure in an erected form.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,692,228 shows a unit dose device having a base extending between a back and a front. The base is connected to the back at a first fold and to the front at a second fold. A support, having a hole, extends between the back and the front. The support is connected to the front at a third fold. A top is pivotally connected to the back at a fourth fold. The top is movable to cover the support. Means are provided for fixing the support to the back between the first and fourth folds. Means are also provided for removably securing the top in a position overlying the support and spaced apart therefrom.
DE 91 14 139 U is related to a package, particularly for batteries, having a back side and a structure being mounted to a lower region of the back. Said backside forms also a back side section in the upper region of said structure and extends from the upper wall to a lower wall of the structure. A fold is provided at the lower end of the backside and is part of the lower wall of the structure. The lower wall has another fold defining a section line between the lower wall and a stiffened front wall section of the structure being positioned rectangularly to the lower wall. The stiffened front wall is spaced in a parallel position to the back side which space corresponds to the size of the cross-section of the batteries. The stiffened front wall has a fold opposite to the lower wall of the structure. This fold defines a connecting line between the stiffened front wall and a skirt for the batteries. Said skirt is positioned at a right angle to the back side of the package. Also, the skirt has a fold at the opposite side of the stiffened front wall, which skirt forms a section line between the skirt and a back wall of the structure wherein the back side is positioned at a right angle to the skirt and parallel to the backside of the package. The structure of the package has a front wall being spaced parallel to the back side. Said front wall has a plunging latch at its lower end associated to the lower wall of the structure which latch is introducible in to a slot in the lower wall being positioned in the midst of the fold forming the connecting line between the lower wall and front wall. The front wall has a window, whilst the back side has an opening to suspend the package.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,015,043 discloses a folded bottle display packaging of which a top portion of the bottle is covered by a cap. A window is sized so as to allow the top portion of the bottle to protrude through a plane formed by a front wall of the package. A top flap is left in the window extending along the same plane as top portion over the window. Said top flap secures the bottle in position. A wrap-around portion creates a tent-like package with open sides to view the bottle through the side of the package.
FR 2 513 867 A is related to a package, particularly for tubes. A rectangular section forms a tongue and two openings and has several folding lines. One end of said section is folded onto itself and attached by adhesive so as to form a prismatic tube. Said tube defines a base to form a back wall adjacent to two openings for the tubes. An opposite end of the section is folded to the front side. The tongue extends from the tube to its other end and is connected to the other folded end by adhesive. The tubes are immobilized between the openings in the prismatic tube receiving them and the upper end being folded to the front side.
DE 42 18 290 A shows a package for a tube consisting of a longitudinal section having at least two folding regions to form a base and two leg portions which are folded so as to form a tube-like structure having a triangular cross section and one-piece upper portion which is formed by both of said legs being connected to one another by adhesive and has an opening in its upper part to suspend said package. One leg has a cut-out portion a part of which is folded into the space provided by the triangular cross-section of said tubular base and has an opening corresponding to the cross-section of the sealed portion of the tube as to form a support for the tube above said base of the triangular tube. The upper end of the tube is held by a latch being cut out from the other leg in the upper vertical section commonly formed by said two legs being connected to one another.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,847,282 discloses an open-end display carton for collapsible tubes formed from a cut and scored blank. It comprises a rectangular base panel having a first end structure foldably connected at one end thereof for supporting an end of said tube. The other end of the base panel has a second end structure foldably connected thereto and supporting the opposite end of the tube, both of the structures having abutments located at fold lines thereof for location and support of the ends of the tube. A first closing panel is foldably connected to the first end structure and a second closing panel is foldably connected to the second end structure. The second closing panel extends over the base panel in spaced relationship thereto and is secured to the first closing panel.
DE 297 02 982 U describes a sales packaging for small containers which package has a front wall, a back wall and a bottom, wherein the front wall has an opening, the contour of which is smaller than the contour of the small container. The contour of the opening in the bottom and cover of the container projects into the contour of the container. The package is made from a rectangular strip having embossments for folding which divide said strip in sections that form the front wall, the back wall, the bottom and a securing latch. A slot is provided between the bottom and the securing latch as to receive an insertion latch at the opposite end of said strip. Another section of the strip connected to the back wall covers the front wall in the folded condition of the package.
One type of packagings for tubes are small completely closed cartons or cardboard boxes in which the tube narrowly fits. Although this type of packaging offers good product protection and is easy to handle, it is somewhat disadvantageous in terms of presentation to the consumer: this type of packaging is not particularly well suited for presentation as a stand-alone packaging nor for hanging. Nor can the consumer readily inspect the tube packed in this type of box. Another type of packaging comprises a cardboard platform covered by a transparent film that narrowly encloses the tube. Although this may be a visually attractive product presentation, it has the disadvantage of being unconvenient for opening and once opened, the packaging is destroyed.
Another problem associated with closed cardboard box packages is that they do not allow the consumer to visually inspect the product that is packed inside. Making openings in the packaging usually results in reduced strength causing the packaging to become unattractive and also to provide inadequate protection to the product packed therein.
Hence there is a need for secondary packagings for tubes that allow a stand-alone presentation of the product, and, by preference, can also be hung. There is an additional need for secondary packagings that allow an attractive presentation of the product packed therein and that allow an easy removal of the product. There is a further need to provide a secondary packaging for tubes that allow the consumer to see and visually inspect the product while having sufficient strength to adequately protect the product packed therein. Additionally, there is a need for secondary packagings that can be stacked compactly in cardboard boxes used for transportation of the products in the distribution chain from manufacturer to user.